Water crisis: Heads must roll
The Democratic Alliance is of the view that Sol Plaatje's water crisis smacks of poor management, poor planning, poor maintenance and poor remedial action plans, and that it is high time that heads must roll (see report).
Learners have had to go and sit for exams without having being afforded the basic right to have a bath whilst businesses such as laundries, restaurants and hairdressers have lost out on business as a direct result of the water shutdown. It is unacceptable that a lack of forewarning has catapulted schools, businesses, old ages homes, hospitals and other institutions into disaster mode, compromising on basic levels of care simply because Sol Plaatje is failing to perform routine checks of water levels and infrastructure, to implement an effective maintenance strategy, and to institute interim measures that could prevent water shutdowns from turning into water crises. We are, after all, not living in the dark ages!
Preventative measures by responsible managers are more acceptable than a string of excuses. The DA challenges the municipal manager, Goolam
Akharwaray, to prove his dedication to improving basic services for residents of the Kimberley area by taking bold action against underperforming officials, whom we surmise are most probably incompetent deployed ANC cadres filling critical skilled positions which they are not qualified for.
We also propose that from now on, the municipal director of infrastructure must on a daily basis provide a detailed report on water levels, state of water infrastructure and maintenance of pumps, to Akharwary so that potential threats to the Kimberley water supply can be detected at an early stage and dealt with before they escalate to extensive water droughts, as is becoming the norm. Alternatively, if the municipal manager fails to take appropriate action, he should consider supplying water tanks to local citizens and further mitigate the impact of unexpected water shut-downs on all affected citizens.
It is about time that the ANC-run Sol Plaatje municipality realizes that the services that people are paying for are not a privilege but a right. Functional municipalities are key drivers of quality service delivery. In this regard, a DA government would make the provision of quality basic services, such as the supply of clean, continuous water supply to all the people, its number one priority.
Statement issued by Andrew Louw, MPL, DA Northern Cape: Leader, November 5 2012
Water crisis in Kimberley hospitals
Both Kimberley Hospital and Medi-Clinic have been running low on water supplies since Friday. Enquiries made with both hospitals by the DA have determined that KH and Medi-Clinic are currently relying on 10 000 litres of water each supplied by the Fire Department's disaster relief unit this morning.
This quantity is enough to supply each hospital for just half a day. It is expected that a second supply will be made available later today.
The water shortages pose the risk that all operations other than extreme emergencies will be postponed and patients turned away.
Hygiene concerns also extend to the most basic hospital services as linen is unable to be washed in both hospitals.
The Health Department is nowhere in this crisis. The DA has fielded calls from desperate staff members at KH saying the Department has been silent on a plan to supply water to the hospital.
MEC Mxolisi Sokatsha is well aware of Kimberley's water problems. While Sol Plaatje municipality is responsible for the regular collapse of city water supply, the Health Department has apparently never bothered about a strategy to lessen the blow on the province's biggest healthcare facilities.
KH currently uses a reservoir system that can supply water for 2 days in the event of a crisis. With the extent and regularity of water stoppages in Kimberley this system clearly needs to be revised.
The DA is appealing to MEC Sokatsha to come out of hiding and deal with this crisis immediately. KH services patients from across the province, often in emergency circumstances. Are we going to turn not just city residents away at the door but those who have travelled for treatment as well?
The DA will be conducting further inspections of healthcare facilities to monitor the extent of any interventions from the Health Department and municipality.
Statement issued by Karen de Kock, DA Northern Cape Health Spokesperson, November 5 2012
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